VIVA TO THE ART CENTRE

ARTISTS have welcomed the proposed Botswana National Arts Institute believing this would help, arts sector grow and be counted globally.
According to an offi cial from Botswana Society for the Arts’ Jane Swartland, the project would, when complete, help artist of all sorts develop and show case their talent at an international accepted level.
She revealed during the launch last week the architectural plans of the project, revealing that besides training artists to better their talent, the institute will also help them improve their business and marketing skills.
When completed the institute will have training facilities for most arts, as well as an amphitheatre, workshops and stalls where artists can sell their wares.
Happy with the development was celebrated saxophonist Lister Boleseng.
“This is what arts – be it music, dance, painting or whatever kind of art – need to grow and be appreciated by the world.
We have the talent and all we need is to develop it properly. I am happy that artists in future will have somewhere to be properly nurtured, said Boleseng, praying that the arts institute “will be completed soonest. I need it too”
Another who thinks that the institute will guide Botswana arts to a brighter future is Francistown based painter, sign writer and guitarist Cyril Monkgogi Ndolo.
The multi talented self-taught Ndolo who is also a member of Thapong Visual Arts said this was “a step in the right direction which will, if is not like many things in our country manipulated to benefit a select few, make young artists pursue their dream properly. So far it’s all been about self development and getting some help from NGOs such as Thapong.”
Meanwhile Swartland later told The Voice that showing the plans to the public last week had aroused some interest in the project and therefore raised hopes that pledges would soon come.
So far only the government has shown support by proving land and financing the architectural plans to the tune of P10 million.
“At the moment we are looking at raising the P150 million that the first phase of the project will cost.
We call on companies and individuals to help us realise this good dream,” she said.

1 COMMENT

You should all go on You Tube and see this amazing Botswana artist perform! Ronnie has almost single-handeldly re-defined how guitar should be played! Botswana, you have talents of highest order! All you need to do is to support, polish and market it! Khama’s crude ways of trying to develop and support talent in our nation needs to be improved up on with the help of formal research!